The Way Through the Woods cover art

The Way Through the Woods

Inspector Morse Mysteries, Book 10

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The Way Through the Woods

By: Colin Dexter
Narrated by: Samuel West
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About this listen

The Way Through the Woods is the tenth novel in Colin Dexter's Oxford-set detective series.

Quietly, rather movingly, Strange was making his plea: 'Christ knows why, Lewis, but Morse will always put himself out for you.' As he put the phone down, Lewis knew that Strange had been right...in the case of the Swedish Maiden, the pair of them were in business again....

They called her the Swedish Maiden - the beautiful young tourist who disappeared on a hot summer's day somewhere in North Oxford. Twelve months later the case remained unsolved - pending further developments.

On holiday in Lyme Regis, Chief Inspector Morse is startled to read a tantalising article in The Times about the missing woman. An article which lures him back to Wytham Woods near Oxford...and straight into the most extraordinary murder investigation of his career.

The Way Through the Woods is followed by the eleventh Inspector Morse book, The Daughters of Cain.

©2017 Colin Dexter (P)2017 Macmillan Digital Audio Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Traditional Detectives Detective Suspense

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All stars
Most relevant
as always with the Morse books, great story, well structured and convincing characters. The narration was excellent and fully captured the characters' individual traits

excellent

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What more do you want? Dexter is in a league of his own. This, like many of the Morse books, is a triumph of creative ingenuity. Who can listen and not long to be Morse. Best of all, not a criminal psychopath in sight. If only there were more like Dexter, more like Morse.

A masterpiece of course ….

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I've always enjoyed the wit and humour in Colin Dexter's "Morse" books, and this is definitely one of the wittiest. Morse and his encounters with women are always good for a smile. He's such a mass of contradictions, a curmudgeon with a romantic streak a mile wide ... You can't help but love the character, and the plot of "... Way Through the Woods" is sharp and clever, beautifully plotted and paced. Absolutely recommended.

"The Way Through the Woods" Colin Dexter

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Colin Dexter's writing style is impeccable. Some might call him pedantic - but so is Morse! I found it particularly interesting to compare the plot with the TV adaptation (also brilliant), which I have seen several times. The epigraphs at the beginning of each of the (many) chapters are an enrichment which of course can only appear in the book.

And Samuel West's narration is beyond brilliant. I proved to myself the truth of the old cliché to the effect that a good actor can make the telephone directory interesting, when I kept on listening to the very end, including the copyright details. West tells the story rather than acting it (no loud histrionics, no overdone accents), to my mind the mark of every good narrator. One tiny reservation is that I thought from West's accent for him that Lewis must be Welsh in the book, until it emerged from various exchanges that he is in fact a Geordie (just like Kevin Whateley!).

Beautiful writing, beautiful narration

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Written by Colin Dexter read by the talented Samuel West . Absolutely brilliant . An intricate pattern weaved by Morse’s clever mind . Read brilliantly bringing life to each character. I think Samuel West is becoming one of my favourite audible narrators . You have to listen carefully to each chapter as the story reels you in to the end

The Way Through the Woods

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